Jackie Beard

Amateur career

Beard was an amateur boxing standout in the late 1970s. He won the National AAU in the bantamweight division three times: 1978, 1979, and 1980. He also won the bantamweight championship in the 1978 National Golden Gloves Tournament. Beard qualified for the 1980 U.S. Olympic boxing team, but the U.S. boycott of the Moscow summer games prevented him from the international competition. Initially, Beard was supportive of the boycott, but later expressed disappointment that athletes were denied the opportunity to showcase their talents. In 2007 Beard received one of 461 Congressional Gold Medals created especially for the spurned athletes.

Pro career

Beard turned professional in 1981 and was undefeated in his first 11 fights before losing a decision to contender Jose Caba. Following the loss Beard put together another string of wins but then lost a close decision to Johnny De La Rosa. He worked his way up to a title match against WBA World super featherweight title holder Brian Mitchell in 1989, but lost a technical decision. They rematched the following year and Mitchell won a unanimous decision. Following the loss, Beard's career declined and he lost most of his remaining professional fights. Beard retired in 1995 with a record of 36 Wins, 14 Losses and 22 KO's. He resides in Jackson, Tennessee.